


Sleepover

by jjuu1l



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Also I didn't proofread, Also implied character death but like not really, Because I love Hayley Kiyoko and Klance so I thought combining them would be a great idea, F/M, Guys I literally wrote this super quick so apologies about all of it, I don't do angst very well so, Kinda? Idk if it's good Klangst but it's kinda there, M/M, Minor Allura/Shiro (Voltron), Minor Hunk/Shay (Voltron), So I kinda just wrote this, klangst, oopsy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 13:52:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11784510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjuu1l/pseuds/jjuu1l
Summary: But at least I've got you in my head,At least I got you in my head, in my head,Sleepovers in my bed,At least I got you in my head, in my head,





	Sleepover

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this today, in like a couple hours?? Probably not my best work but I wrote it and will eventually get around to editing it. I hope you all enjoy!

**_I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna think about it. I’m just feeling low, feeling low._ **

He’s sitting in front of the largest window in the castle. Surrounded by stars and galaxies Lance looks tiny. It’s a stark difference from how he usually is, giant, bigger than he really is, the only bright light when everything else is dark and disorienting. He’s staring, or maybe sleeping, Keith isn’t sure. Either way it’s been almost half an hour of Lance just sitting there without a word. It’s the longest that Keith’s gone without hearing him talk. He almost leaves, almost leaves Lance to his own devices when he hears sniffling.

There’s no one else awake. So, it’s either him or Lance sniffling and Keith hasn’t cried since he was 11.

His steps are silent as he crosses the room to Lance. Keith doesn’t say anything, neither does Lance as he sits down beside him. It’s a weird silence, not because of the crying or the sudden appearance of another person. It’s strange because Lance just leans into Keith. Like this connection is the only thing keeping him on the ground, the only thing keeping him tethered to reality altogether.

Keith imagines they both look tiny now. Staring at the infinity of possibilities before them and ignoring the choices that brought them here. He wonders how they got here. He knows of course, it was Blue, it was Lance. That’s the reason they got this far, whether they realized it or not.

“Thanks.” Lance mumbled when the sniffling stopped. Keith nodded, letting the silence fall over them. He doesn’t think to ask Lance what’s wrong, or well he does, but his better judgement tells him it’s a bad idea.

Lance leaves first. After countless minutes of silence, Keith misses the extra warmth.

 

**_Even when you’re next to me, it’s not the way I’m picturing. I’m just feeling low, feeling low._ **

Somehow this routine continues. Lance isn’t always sniffling, nor is he the one always sad. There are times when Keith’s head is screaming at him, Lance becoming his tether to reality. The only thing keeping him grounded when the void of guilt’s gravity becomes too much for him to just ignore.

They never speak. Not more than a few words over the few weeks cross their mouths. Sometimes Lance sings a lullaby that Keith has memorized. Or Keith will bring them a snack if he’s hungry or suspects Lance might be. It’s a peaceful arrangement they’ve got going. Unspoken but completely understood on both ends. It’s not technically a secret, but neither speak of it.

As if the moment they acknowledge their new-found bond it’ll turn to smoke and float away into the void they’re both running from. So, they don’t discuss it.

Their team notices their bond though. Whenever Lance throws a compliment at Keith. Or when Keith rolls his eyes fondly at one of Lance’s jokes. Sometimes they’ll watch as Lance and Keith begin to move as a team in battle. Covering one another like they’ve been fighting this way their entire lives.

But no one acknowledges it. Nor does Keith acknowledge the new feelings in his chest every time they fall back into routine.

****

**_You wanna be friends forever. I can think of something better I’m just feeling low, feeling low._ **

Lance is being nice to him now. Which makes the feelings burn even brighter in his chest. Keith’s scared that one-day Lance will notice, but he never does.

He doesn’t notice the increasingly long times that Keith will just stare at him. Like he’s a masterpiece made from the brightest colors and finest materials ever created. Doesn’t realize how many times Keith feels his heart stop in battle when Lance gets hit or he loses sight of Blue for too long right before she shoots back into view.

He doesn’t notice any of it.

He does notice Lance begin to act friendlier around him. The mullet comments haven’t stopped, but are now accompanied by playful hip bumps and other nicknames. It causes a string of thoughts about other nicknames Lance could call him. Though thoughts like those are quickly stored away to be dealt with later.

In response Keith is also nicer. Which usually means not sending him glares across the table at meals or pulling punches outside of the training deck. He tries sending compliments back at Lance though he’s not used to it, therefore kinda, really, _really,_ bad at it. But he’s trying, and he considers that enough.

The flirting with aliens starts to hurt. A physical pain he hadn’t expected just below his ribcage. It’s painful every time Lance leaves the group to flirt with a cute alien girl. Hunk frowns at Lance every time he does it before sending Keith a sympathetic look.

He’s not sure when Hunk figured out his feelings but he finds himself grateful that he has. As Keith has a feeling that Lance won’t ever figure it out.

 

**_Sleeping here right next to me, but will you mess with me? No_ **

Their routine changes after a few weeks. Soon they enter a galaxy making it too cold to sit by the window for longer than a few minutes. Lance gets up sooner than he wants and Keith prepares himself for a long night of staring at his own ceiling.

Then Lance reaches out a hand to help him up. It’s not like they’ve never helped each other up before. But this feels different. Like it’s not just his hand that Lance is offering up. It’s something else that Keith doesn’t understand yet but goes along with.

Keith has a terrible feeling that he’d go along with anything Lance said at this point.

Lance pulls him up and doesn’t let go. Keith doesn’t either and soon Lance is leading him down the hallways to his room. They cross the threshold with hands still linked and Keith finds it ironically poetic.

They sit on his bed and resume their silence. Lance reaches over to grab a small box only to start fidgeting with it. Before long they both fall asleep, which happens occasionally, but when Keith wakes with long arms wrapped around his waist he knows this time is different.

 

**_But at least I got you in my head, oh, yeah, At least I got you in my head, my head_ **

Keith tries to ignore the fantasies, he really does. He uses every trick in the book to turn the growing pain in his chest into something else but it doesn’t always work.

Sometimes he manages to convince himself that the pain has numbed. He subdues it long enough to fall deeper, only realizing he’s falling when he hits the ground hard. It hurts a lot, almost too much to bare, but then he sees Lance laugh, or look at him with a smirk like sin; and that’s when he remembers that sometimes pain is good.

The fantasies range from domestic to painful to downright blush inducing. So sometimes when it seems innocent enough Keith will let himself dream. He allows himself to imagine what it would be like to confess to Lance, to admit everything and have his feelings reciprocated.

It’s the best kind of pain he can imagine.

 

**_Sleepovers in my bed, oh, yeah, At least I got you in my head, my head,_ **

**_In my head, In my head_ **

They continue their new routine. Keith will go to Lance after training, exhausted but clean, because he’s not going to subject Lance to his gross self. Lance usually smiles when he comes in. It makes Keith’s heart swell which makes him worry one day it’ll just pop out of his chest and Lance will know.

They’ll start sitting on his bed. Sometimes talking about a recent mission, sometimes in a familiar silence. The talking part is new, but not unwanted. They’ll eventually lay down facing one another. Then they fall asleep, more often than not Keith will fall asleep to Lance telling him a story that he’s heard once or twice before.

Keith isn’t sure what happens after he falls asleep, but they always wake up together. Tangled up in one another in a way too intimate for just friends. Keith almost always wakes up first, which means he gets to decide whether he’ll untangle himself or just let himself pretend for a few minutes that he can wake up like this without worry.

He usually picks the first option to avoid the overwhelming possibility of getting caught. Though he’s extremely tempted to.

 

**_Always there to brush your hair, help you pick out what to wear. I just feel alone, feel alone_ **

Lance likes to play with his hair on the nights that Keith is too tired to hold up half of the conversation. He runs his hands through while talking about how he used to braid his sisters’ hair back home. He learned every braid his sisters knew and a few more for the special occasions.

He braids Keith hair every once in a while. Lance gets really quiet when he does. Keith has a feeling he’s thinking about his family when he does. He tries to tell Lance a story when that happens. They’re stories he remembers from childhood, before the world reared its ugly head. So, they typically end in ‘Happily Ever After’ but Lance doesn’t seem to mind.

Or if he does he doesn’t show it.

If he gets really lucky Lance will sing while he braids his hair. It’s only happened a handful of times but when it does happen Keith finds himself deliriously happy.

It’s almost enough to ignore the pain in his chest after Shiro disappears.

 

**_You will never understand, even when you hold my hand, I just feel alone, feel alone_ **

Their routine is one of the things impacted when Shiro goes missing. Keith is quiet more often than not and Lance becomes touchier. Usually just a hand on his shoulder, or wrapped around his waist, often it’s a hug.

It keeps him grounded and they both know it.

Keith doesn’t think he’s ever been more thankful for Lance than the night after Shiro disappears. Lance comes to him that night. He holds him in a way that could never be considered platonic but Keith’s too screwed up to think about that.

He falls asleep to Lance singing. While the nightmares plague him he just holds onto the only thing tethering him to reality and hopes for the best. He thinks that Lance does too.

 

**_I don’t wanna talk about it, I don’t wanna think about it, I just feel alone feel alone_ **

The first time Allura suggests they find a new Black Paladin Keith feels too much all at once. He and Lance have their first big fight since starting, whatever this was, and their routine breaks for the first time in months. That night is the longest he’s had in months.

The fantasies don’t plague him but everything else does. His feelings way down on him like an anchor tied to his foot. It’s mind numbing and the nightmares get worse every time he manages to fall into a place anywhere close to sleep.

He wants to go to Lance. He wants to apologize for snapping. He wants to forget that today or any of this ever happened. He wants to kiss Lance. He wants to punch Lance. He wants to get rid of these god forsaken feelings.

He wants and wants and wants but gets none of it.

 

**_Even when you’re next to me, it’s not the way I’m picturing, No_ **

**_But at least I got you in my head, oh, yeah_ **

Lance is the one to snap sense back into him. To convince him that he needs to at least try. Keith knows how much it must hurt Lance when the Black Lion reacts to Keith and not him. He apologizes to him that night when he shows up at Lance’s room and lays his head on Lance’s shoulder.

Lance tries to convince him everything is fine, but it’s not. Not until Lance becomes the Red Paladin and Allura joins them in the lions.

Lance’s transition to Red is strange when Keith still feels a connection to her. They talk about it and Keith feels his heart crack when Lance mentions he can feel emotions from Red that he doesn’t fully understand. Keith knows they’re his emotions, he has a feeling Lance knows too. But Lance doesn’t mention it again after the first time he asks Keith about it. They dance around feelings that’re there but they aren’t willing to deal with. Not now, and if Shiro doesn’t come back then…

Maybe never.

But Keith is thankful when Lance becomes his right hand. It feels like a decision that was made centuries ago. Like even though neither knew it was coming, they’d been preparing for it.

****

**_At least I got you in my head, my head, In my head, in my head_ **

**_Come on, let’s sleep in my bed, Can I just be in my head with you?_ **

When they finally find Shiro Keith is both relieved and terrified. His mind immediately goes to Lance. Lance who ended up kicked out of his lion. Lance who supported him and supported himself even with all his doubt. Lance who Keith knew would make the sacrifice if need be.

Lance who Keith found himself completely in love with.

He reassures Lance later when he visit’s his room that Lance wouldn’t be left out. He can feel himself fall even harder when Lance gives him a smile after Keith tells him to leave the math to Pidge.

 

**_Come on, let’s sleep in my bed, Can I just be in my head with you?_ **

Shiro starts shooting him looks whenever Lance and Keith’s banter straddles the line between friendly and flirty. It’s a dangerous look and Keith knows it’s a dangerous game they’re playing at.

Affairs of the heart always are.

Though this is different. Lance and Keith are teammates, as much as he doesn’t want to admit it a relationship isn’t something they can afford right now. Feelings are barely affordable even now.

So, Lance and Keith dance around it. They sidestep feelings and avoid talking about it. They don’t change routine, though they should; nor do they outright deny anything. But everyone can feel it coming. The team shares glances as they all feel themselves being pushed towards the edge.

The edge of what you ask? That is the scariest part, for they do not know.

 

**_And it breaks my heart, yeah, it breaks my heart, I do this every single time, every time,_ **

The battle is exhausting and gory, and terrifying, and Keith can feel himself wishing it was over. They’re all fighting as hard as possible. The battle is the last one. This is clear as both sides go all out.

They’re a black hole somewhere around but the nebula surrounding makes it hard to find. Keith is fighting three or four Galra ships when everyone stops fighting. Everything goes quiet as reports of the Galra’s missing ship fly through their coms.

Shiro informs them that the ship made from the comet had flown too close to the black hole and had probably been sucked into the hole. There’s a small seed of hope swelling in his chest as they form Voltron and take out the rest of the fleet.

They’re so close. Keith can practically taste it on his tongue when the ship is suddenly back with a vengeance. It attacks and attacks and soon they’re no longer Voltron. Soon each paladin is bruised and battered.

That’s when Lance attacks the ship at full force. He’s going toe to toe with the beast and managing well. Until they near the black hole. Everything is going in slow motion as Lance flies full force at the ship. The ship takes the impact and both fly backwards into the black hole.

Screams for Lance blast over the speakers as all the paladins watched Lance disappear into the void. Keith can’t breathe, and for the first time since he was 11, Keith cries.

****

**_But at least I got you in my head, oh, yeah,_ **

The worst part is Lance’s voice. For some reason, they can still hear him over the coms, Pidge said it was probably because of the what the Lions were made of. They can’t respond as Lance frantically babbles into his communicator. Keith cracks every time Lance speaks.

Which is when Lance starts breathing heavy.

“I don’t know if anyone can hear me but my oxygen is getting low.” Hunk starts to sob over the com. Pidge is frantically searching for any sign of Lance anywhere besides that damned black hole but isn’t coming up with anything. “I just wanted to say some things just in case someone can hear me. I’ve also got this recorded just in case.” Keith can hear Allura yelling commands to Coran who’s also frantically searching for Lance.

“So, uh I guess I’ll start with Allura and Coran. I know that I’m not what you expected, and I just wanted to say that I’m sorry. I didn’t want to disappoint you guys, so I kinda snuck off with my lion on the first couple days just to practice. I know you told me that it was dangerous because the Galra could probably track me but I just needed to. You guys were depending on us so much, I just couldn’t let you down.” Allura was still yelling in a shrill voice. Sobs talking over her voice as Coran reported search after search was turning up nothing.

“And uh Shiro, I know we still aren’t that close but I just wanted you to know that I really look up to you. You were one of the reasons I wanted to be a pilot. I mean you were like the person I always wanted to be. And I’m so thankful that I got to meet you and be on a team with you. It was such an honor. Also I’d like to apologize for hiding your arm that one time after you feel asleep in the dining hall.” Keith couldn’t hear Shiro but he knew what he was doing. He was frantically searching for Lance without getting to close to the black hole.

“Pidge, I just wanted to say that you’re like the coolest person I’ve ever met. I don’t know where we’d be without you. Well we’d probably all be in this blackhole or some random corner of the universe. I know your dad and Matt would be so proud of you and everything you’re doing. I didn’t tell you but he and I had a couple of classes together and he always bragged about his tech genius younger sister. I’m so sorry I didn’t put two and two together and try to help you find him sooner. I really hope you find him and your dad.” The loud typing from Pidge stopped. All that remained on her end was hiccups and sobs and yelps of ‘You’re such a damn quiznak you stupid pilot’. Before sobbing completely took over her voice.

“Next up I guess is Keith.” Keith froze. No, this couldn’t be his final goodbye. It just couldn’t. He thought fast but before he could rush off into the black hole himself Red shut down. “Judging by the way I can’t really feel Red right now I’m guessing you’re either in this blackhole with me, or she’s keeping you from flying in here. Which I really gotta thank her for. I know we didn’t really talk about it but I really like you. But it was never the right time to bring it up so I just didn’t. Um, I just want you to know that I feel the same way, and I want you to be happy. I’d also like to apologize for calling you Mullet all the time. I actually think it suits you really well.” Keith was numb. Nothing was getting through to him besides Lance’s words. Everything else was just subtle background noise.

“And uh last but for certain not least… Hunk. We’ve been through so much together, and I just want to say I love you man. You’re the best friend I could ever have. You always went along with my stupid ideas even though we both knew they’d end horribly. You kept me sane even when I was having the worst day ever. I want you to go back to the Balmera and find Shay and just tell her. You never know when it’s going to be too late. When you guys get back to Earth I want you to find my mom and dad and tell them I love them and I’m sorry for our last phone call. They’ll know what you mean. I want you to tell the little gremlins that they can have my room and my stuff too. They deserve it. Tell Lacy and Kyra, and Mitchell to stay strong and that they were the best older siblings I could ever have. Got it? Okay good, I’ve gotta assume you heard me. Or maybe this recording. God I hope so.” Everyone went silent. Even Lance, Keith felt like throwing up and then he heard Hunk. Hunk was sobbing.

Suddenly everyone was crying and blubbering over the coms. Trying every last ditch effort they had to try and find Lance. But it was useless. He was gone. His voice didn’t come back over the communicators, and before they knew it the black hole was just gone. Like it’d never existed in the first place.

 

**_At least I got you in my head, my head_ **

The next couple of months were rough to say the least. No one could even say Lance’s name without tears coming from someone. Hunk and Keith were the worst by far. Hunk was almost inconsolable. The only one able to get him to say more than a few words was Shay, who had officially moved into the castle and in with Hunk.

Keith took his anger out on the simulator. It wasn’t fair. Lance had sacrificed so much for his team. Only to what? Disappear into a black hole, he’d never get the cheers he deserved, never get to hear their thanks for any of it.

Even the lions were in mourning over losing one of their own. Blue’s spot sat gaping in the hanger. For months, they wouldn’t activate or even respond to their paladins. Luckily, they had no need to form Voltron with the Galra officially gone. But the loss was still sore to say the least.

They started a diplomatic run around the galaxy knowing that this would likely be their last time in space…

Probably forever.

****

**_Sleepovers in my bed, oh, yeah_ **

A year and a half passes before they can finally return to Earth. A lot has changed. They found Matt after six months of Pidge furiously searching the universe for yet another lost part of her family. He was stationed at a rebel base just outside of the Milky way. The reunion was tearful, even more so when Matt revealed their father working with them.

Hunk and Shay were married. It was a strange wedding, combining Earth and Balmeran traditions. Hunk’s best man position remained empty, though he was still recovering they all knew they would never get over the loss of Lance. So they did what they could.

Allura cut her hair into something she deemed ‘more manageable’ even though Keith had the sinking suspicion she couldn’t take the memory of Lance braiding it and gushing over it. Sometimes he caught her twirling a short piece around her finger and wiping away tears before a diplomatic meeting.

Coran was still as comical as ever. Which was much appreciated by everyone. He spent a lot of time in the control room though, just staring forlorn up at the crystal. No one tried to talk with him when he was like that.

Shiro had finally cut back on his own self blaming for Lance’s rash decision. It helped when he and Allura had finally admitted their own feelings for one another and became the other’s rock. The two appeared as an unstoppable force even though the team knew otherwise. Both were hurting too much to admit. Keith was glad they had each other though.

Keith was still a wreck. Though he couldn’t imagine a time when he wasn’t. He was probably getting better. He wasn’t actually sure though. Sometimes he would sneak into Lance’s room and just lay in his bed. Remembering times when he was too scared to admit what he should’ve admitted.

The thought of a happily ever after with Lance plagued his mind and heart.

****

**_At least I got you in my head, my head_ **

To Keith’s surprise when they finally get to Earth none of them stay for too long. Shay and Hunk decided staying in the ship was their smartest decision while Shiro and Keith knew they didn’t really have somewhere to go. Their home was on the castle. With their team.

Pidge didn’t stay but she did make frequent and long trips there. She’d update the Garrison on issues while also staying with her family. Every once in a while, the whole ship would dock on Earth for a couple days, Hunk would visit his parents while the others would just show the Alteans around the planet.

It was on one such trip that they found themselves at the ocean. They were drawn there like moths to a flame. As they walked along the shore Coran told a story of when he had visited a planet that was half sand and half lava. He was just finishing when they noticed a body floating out in the waves.

“Hey does he look conscious to you guys?” Shiro was the first to notice the body. After several moments they realized that, no that man was not conscious. Keith shed only his jacket and shoes before running out into the ocean and swimming out to the conscious man. He didn’t have a good chance to look at the guy before he was dragging him back to the shore.

“Lance.” Allura gasped at the man in Keith’s arms. Keith looked down at him. He was older than the last time. Taller with a beard and more scars but it was definitely Lance. “Is he alive?” She asked and the whole group launched into action. Shiro was the only one with enough experience to find his pulse that was weak but still there. Keith felt himself giving Lance CPR even though he couldn’t believe this was all real.

After a few seconds of breathless waiting Lance finally started coughing. He threw up water before taking another breath and spitting. He was still breathing heavy when Keith threw himself at him.

“You’re such an ass.” He whispered with his arms wrapped tight around Lance’s waist.

“You’re one to talk Mullet.” Lance whispered back hoarsely. And for the first time in months Keith smiled.


End file.
